Home > Panda Watch > Archives > 2006 > November > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USShe growls! She stands! She charms!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Panda fans, check this out. In the past week, that little-girl giant panda at Zoo Atlanta has:
• Grown nearly 1.5 inches
• Gained about three-quarters of a pound
• Developed strength in her front legs.
Oh, and this: She’s found her voice.
Snarf! The unnamed youngster barked once, and fixed a beady stare at the women who held a tape across her nose, measuring the child’s length from nose to tail. The panda is now 22.44 inches long. Last week, she measured 21 inches.
Haff! She made a little bear cough as her handlers hefted her on a scales. The numbers glowed red — 3.66 kilos. (For you non-scientists, that’s about 8.1 pounds.) Her weight gain is proof that her mama, Lun Lun, is feeding that child right.
Snarf! The panda stood up on front legs as sturdy as posts. She turned her fuzzy head to the right, to the left. She looked at the ceiling, then at her feet. A tough kid.
Dr. Maria Crane, who has been conducting weekly exams since the panda’s birth Sept. 6 — Thursday’s checkup was the eighth for doctor and patient — is pleased with the panda’s progress. The zoo’s senior veterinarian, Crane makes the regular exams to chart the infant’s progress, watch her vitals and add Zoo Atlanta’s findings to a growing wealth of knowledge about the bears.
She also likes looking at her young charge, who at 71 days old has more hair than a wig shop. “She’s definitely getting stronger,” said Crane.
The panda is still a little shaky on her back legs. Her teeth, too, are still under the gums, but threatening to come out at any moment.
And when those teeth come out? Lun Lun will be nursing her child for another 10 months or so.
If you don’t understand the significance of that, go check with a nursing mom.
Comments
By Deborah
November 16, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this
where’s the video?
By aa
November 16, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this
I thinks she’s a doll the cutest ting ever
By Boog
November 16, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this
The Contessa of Cute just keeps growing! But, as far as names are concerned, we should consider the person who orchestrated bring the pandas to Atlanta, Dr Terry Maple, former director of Zoo Atlanta. His efforts made everything possible. How about Maple Peach?
By Ashley
November 16, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this
More pictures and video please! And her name has to be Chinese, it’s tradition!
By Panda Granny
November 16, 2006 12:46 PM | Link to this
Try clicking the link that says “video”. It’s in 2 different places on the front page…once where you clicked for this blog, and once farther down on the left under “videos”.
I have friends around the States that are following her growth along with me since her birth. She is the cutest thing I’ve seen since the birth of my own babies and grandbaby.
Send more pics and videos. I’m hooked on Panda-Love.
By ...
November 16, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this
If you would read the articles, there is a list of names already that we are to choose from…not suggest names. It will be Chinese, regardless.
By d. robitaille
November 16, 2006 03:04 PM | Link to this
Those of us in the Pan Handle who love her, have been lovingly calling her, “Snert” after her first sound. She has an attitude and “Snert to you” says it all.
By MustLovePandas
November 16, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this
Snert?
I thought it was Snerk. Snerk is cuter. ;-)
By Sonya
November 16, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this
I can just see and hear it in my mind! Hugs for the little cutie!
By Carla
November 16, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this
I thought it was Snerk too. Weren’t we calling her Snerk Snerk last week?
By Mark
November 16, 2006 04:38 PM | Link to this
Yes, it was “snerk.” She’s grown now, and her vocabulary reflects it.
By dana
November 17, 2006 07:46 AM | Link to this
Poor Lun Lun, maybe she can teach sweetie pie cub how to eat the bamboo, carrots, fruits, and biscuits before the baby’s teeth kicks in or rather kicks out. Ouch ouch.
By Liz
November 17, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this
I have been watching the cub’s progress since birth. She is adorable!!!! Please take more videos, and let them last longer. Maybe you could create a panda web site with just pictures/videos of the cub.
By Dusty Cantrell
November 17, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this
I was trying to give a name for the new Panda cub, But I do not know where to submit.
My daughter’s name is Lanie (she is 3)and since the birth of the panda I have been calling her Lan Lan (Lane Lane) the Giant Panda. I looked up Lan in the Chinese to English dictionary and found that Lan (Lane) is part of the name Hua Mu Lan (name of a woman warrior)in China and is also Lan county (county in Shanxi). I really thought that with the parents names of Lun Lun and Yang Yang, LAN LAN would be perfect for the cub.
Does any one know if you can submit?
By Colleen Horan
November 17, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this
Awww what a cute lil baby!! Its been so wonderful watching her in the live cam and reading the diary entries!
I have been callin her “baby girl”
For college, I did a study on the panda. What fascinating animals!!
Colleen Lansing Michigan
By Stephanie
November 17, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
She is the cutest thing! I cannot stop looking at her pictures, too bad she want stay smal 4ever.
By Pamela G
November 17, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this
Atlanta’s lovely Little Peach will soon be entering a stage where she spends a lot of her time sleeping. When she’s awake she will scoot around the den using her front legs while her back legs sprawl and scramble behind her. She will fall asleep very suddenly and sleep for long periods. You will begin to wonder if there is something wrong with her back legs or her hips because she just won’t seem to be able to get those back legs under her. Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong. All of the cubs seem to take a long time to get those little hind legs strong enough to lift those big tummies off the floor. Once she’s walking, the fun really starts! It will be interesting to see how Lun Lun reacts to a cub who can travel: Mei Xiang kept dragging her cub back to the den. Bai Yun carried her cub outside and introduced her to the big world. Both were great to watch!
By Carla
November 17, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this
Dusty, we can’t submit. We can only vote. Several selected members of the Atlanta community will be choosing the names we select. Maybe they’ll check the blog and see your name. Good luck!
By tommy
November 18, 2006 08:36 AM | Link to this
I’d vote for one of the following names for the new panda:
LiLu-Zi (pretty georgia peach) Nuo-Niu (graceful girl) Cheng Chi-Ya (city sprout)
By alice
November 18, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this
She is so sweet and cuddley it is hard to remember she is a wild bear and has teeth and claws.
By Colleen Horan
November 18, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this
Folks, where is the website where we can hear her make her lil noises and move around? I saw it above, but it doesn’t seem to work.
Colleen Lansing Michigan
It IS hard to remember though she look like an innocent sweet baby that she’s a real bear and could do severe damage to any of us!
By Cee
November 19, 2006 08:44 AM | Link to this
Here’s the link:
http://www.zooatlanta.org/animalspandacam.htm
I watch her every day, and I love her!
By Diane in montana
November 19, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this
I love the panda cam.,I check in on Mom and cub a few times a day.Your city has a great zoo.I hope to see more of their baby giraffe.
By Maegan
November 20, 2006 07:39 AM | Link to this
I’ve been calling the cub Ms. Wiggles since I first saw her on the panda cam about 2 wks old. I have people at work watching her all the way in Australia and I never get tired watching. It’s kinda relaxing to look at her while working in the stress of an ER environment.
By Colleen Horan
November 23, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this
Maegan, I love your idea for a name. Ms Wiggles fits her perfectly now!
Have you heard her little growl? She sounds so ferocious already! Its in zoo atlanta’s website, under videos with Lun Lun and Cub. It looks like she likes her doctors by the videos.
:)